How to Get a Driving License in Lebanon

A step-by-step guide to enrolling, preparing your documents, and passing the theory and practical exams.

Overview

Getting a driver's license in Lebanon means enrolling in a certified driving school, completing the mandatory training, and passing both a theory and a practical exam at a Traffic Management Authority centre — the offices everyone calls Nafaa. From start to finish, budget roughly $400–$450, which covers the mandatory driving lessons, paperwork, and official exam fees. Almost every step is handled in person, and it is the paperwork that catches applicants out: several certificates are only issued by specific authorities, and some must be recent.

Cost & Mandatory Training

Lebanon requires a mandatory training course of 7 lessons — typically 5 practical and 2 theoretical — through a certified driving school. The driving-school package and the paperwork make up most of what you pay; the official state fee is only one line in the total.

Driving school package covering the 7 mandatory lessons — the largest single cost, and it varies widely between schools.
Official license issuing fee — around LBP 2,300,000, paid to the state.
Judicial (criminal) record — around LBP 500,000 at the General Directorate of Local Administrations in Adlieh, or through OMT.
Medical certificate, blood-type card, photos and Mukhtar certifications — smaller fees, paid separately to each issuer.

Expect roughly $400–$450 all in. Fees change: confirm current amounts with your driving school and the Traffic Management Authority before you budget.

Required Documents

A complete application file is made up of seven documents. Three of them have to come from a specific authority, which is where most delays happen:

Judicial (criminal) record — from the General Directorate of Local Administrations, or through OMT.
Medical certificate — a fitness-to-drive certificate carrying your photo, stamped by a doctor.
Driving certificate — an affidavit from your driving school confirming you completed the mandatory lessons.

The rest of the file — proof of residence, blood-type card, ID or civil-record extract, and certified passport photos — is set out in full, with the issuing authority and validity window for each, on our documents checklist.

See the full document checklist

The Application & Exam Process

1
Enroll in a driving school
Register at an authorized driving academy and complete your mandatory training hours. The school issues the affidavit your application file needs.
2
Book your appointment
New applications and renewals are handled by the Nafaa centre via its online platform or designated offices.
3
Pass the exams
Sit the theory exam on rules and road signs, then the practical, behind-the-wheel test.
4
Collect your license
Submit your completed file to the Traffic Management Authority to have your license issued.

Where to Take the Exam

Theory and practical exams, and license issuance, are handled at Traffic Management Authority centres — known to everyone in Lebanon as Nafaa. There are eight branches, so you can usually sit the exam near where you live:

Dekwaneh — Mount Lebanon (Metn)
Jounieh — Mount Lebanon (Keserwan)
Aley — Mount Lebanon
Al-Ouzai — Beirut suburb
Saida (Sidon) — South
Nabatieh — South
Tripoli — North
Zahle — Bekaa

A renewal must be done at the same centre that issued the original license.

Choosing a Driving School

You cannot sit the practical exam without an affidavit from a certified driving school confirming your 7 mandatory lessons, so the school you pick shapes both your cost and your timeline. Packages differ widely in price and in how quickly a school can schedule your lessons.

Browse driving schools in Lebanon

Foreigners & Non-Lebanese Drivers

If you already hold a valid license from another country, you can apply to exchange it for a Lebanese one instead of starting from scratch. The authorities first verify that the foreign license meets the required conditions.

Conversion has its own document list, and the first requirement catches almost everyone out:

1A statement from the traffic department that issued your license, authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of that country. This has to be arranged abroad, so start it well before you travel.
2Your foreign driving license.
3A health/medical certificate.
4Two certified passport-size photos.
5Proof of residence, ID copy, residency-permit copy, or passport.
6A judicial (criminal) record.

Tourists may drive with a valid home-country license accompanied by an International Driving Permit (IDP).

Driving abroad on your Lebanese license? Read our International Driving Permit (IDP) guide.

Renewing an Expired License

Renewal is a separate procedure from a first application. It cannot be completed online — the holder must attend in person, at the same centre that issued the original license — and it has its own file of six documents, two of which must be dated within the last three months.

Read the full renewal guide

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a driving license cost in Lebanon?

Budget approximately $400–$450 in total, covering the mandatory lessons, paperwork, and official exam fees. The official state issuing fee is around LBP 2,300,000.

How many driving lessons are required?

A mandatory course of 7 lessons — usually 5 practical and 2 theoretical — through a certified driving school.

What is Nafaa?

Nafaa is the everyday Lebanese name for the Traffic Management Authority centres where driving exams are held and licenses are issued. There are eight branches: Dekwaneh, Jounieh, Aley, Al-Ouzai, Saida, Nabatieh, Tripoli and Zahle.

Where do I take the driving exam in Lebanon?

At a Traffic Management Authority (Nafaa) centre. Eight branches across Lebanon handle the theory and practical exams as well as license issuance, so you can usually sit the exam near where you live.

Do I need a driving school, or can I apply on my own?

You need a certified driving school. Your application file has to include an affidavit from the school confirming you completed the 7 mandatory lessons, so you cannot sit the practical exam without one.

Can I convert my foreign license to a Lebanese one?

Often yes. The catch is that you need a statement from the traffic department of the country that issued your license, authenticated by that country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs — which has to be arranged abroad. You will also need the foreign license itself, a medical certificate, a judicial record, certified photos and proof of residence or residency.

Can I renew my Lebanese driving license online?

No. Renewal requires the holder to attend in person, at the same centre that issued the original license. You can look up the required documents online without booking an appointment, but the renewal itself is completed at the centre.

How can I prepare for the theory exam?

Practice for free on Sou2LB in Arabic, English, or French with exam-style questions and instant scoring before sitting the official test.

Last verified: July 2026. Procedures, documents and fees are set by the Lebanese Traffic Management Authority and can change — confirm current requirements at tmo.gov.lb or with your driving school before you apply.

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